A global crew of scientists from the Heart for Superior Sensor Expertise demonstrated the flexibility of twisted carbon nanotubes to retailer thrice extra power per unit mass than refined lithium-ion batteries. The invention might make carbon nanotubes a extra viable possibility for power storage in small, gentle, and safe units like medical implants and sensors. The examine was printed within the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
Picture Credit score: Den Schrodinger/Shutterstock.com
Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain from CAST was the lead researcher on the challenge. He started the challenge whereas attending Shinshu College in Nagano, Japan, and continued it when he moved to UMBC in 2022. Preety Ahuja from CAST additionally contributed to the analysis’s materials characterization sections.
The researchers studied single-walled carbon nanotubes, which resemble straws fashioned of pure carbon sheets which are just one atom thick. About 100 instances stronger than metal, carbon nanotubes are light-weight and comparatively easy to make. Scientists are investigating the potential for utilizing these outstanding qualities in numerous futuristic-sounding applied sciences, akin to area elevators.
The UMBC researchers and their colleagues created carbon nanotube “ropes” utilizing bundles of commercially obtainable nanotubes to look at the potential of carbon nanotubes for power storage. The tubes have been pulled and twisted right into a single thread by the researchers, who then coated them with numerous supplies to enhance the power and adaptability of the ropes.
By twisting the ropes and measuring the power launched as they unraveled, the crew decided how a lot power they might maintain. They found that essentially the most environment friendly ropes might retailer virtually thrice as a lot power as lithium-ion batteries and 15,000 instances extra power per unit mass than metal springs.
At temperatures between -76 and +212 °F (-60 and +100 °C), the saved power is steady and accessible. The carbon nanotube ropes’ constituent components are additionally much less dangerous to human well being than these present in batteries.
People have lengthy saved power in mechanical coil springs to energy units akin to watches and toys. This analysis exhibits twisted carbon nanotubes have nice potential for mechanical power storage, and we’re excited to share the information with the world.
Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain, Lead Researcher, Heart for Superior Sensor Expertise, College of Maryland
He notes that the CAST crew is at present exploring utilizing twisted carbon nanotubes as an power supply for a prototype sensor they’re designing.
Journal Reference:
Utsumi, S., et al. (2024) Big nanomechanical power storage capability in twisted single-walled carbon nanotube ropes. Nature Nanotechnology. doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01645-x.
Supply:
College of Maryland Baltimore County